In an image reading apparatus, for example, a backside of a housing is formed with an introduction opening for introducing therein a sheet. A front face side of the housing is formed with a discharge opening for discharging the sheet. In the housing, a conveyance path from the introduction opening to the discharge opening is formed. The image reading apparatus has an image reading unit and a pair of conveyance rollers. The pair of conveyance rollers is respectively provided at an introduction opening-side and a discharge opening-side of the image reading unit.
The sheet that is introduced from the introduction opening is conveyed on the conveyance path towards the discharge opening by the pair of conveyance rollers. During the conveyance, an image of the sheet is read by the image reading unit.
The image reading apparatus can also read an image formed on a card having a width that is narrower than that of the sheet. Specifically, a part of the discharge opening serves as both a card introduction opening for introducing the card and a card discharge opening for discharging the card. Also, a mechanism for rotating the pair of conveyance rollers in one direction and in the other direction is provided.
When the card is inserted into the card introduction opening, the pair of conveyance rollers is rotated in a direction reverse to a direction at the time of seat conveyance, so that the card is drawn into the card introduction opening by the pair of conveyance rollers. When the card passes through the image reading unit, the rotating direction of the pair of conveyance rollers is reversed, so that the pair of conveyance rollers is rotated in the same direction as the direction at the time of sheet conveyance. Thereby, the conveyance direction of the card is reversed, so that the card is conveyed towards the card discharge opening. During this conveyance, an image of the card is read by the image reading unit.
However, since the mechanism for rotating the pair of conveyance rollers in one direction and in the other direction is provided, a configuration of the driving system of the conveyance rollers is complicated.
In order to simplify the configuration of the driving system of the conveyance rollers, a configuration is considered in which the backside of the housing is formed with a dedicated card introduction opening for introducing a card, and the card introduced through the dedicated card introduction opening is conveyed towards a card discharge opening overlapping with at least a part of the discharge opening.
In a configuration where the sheet is conveyed from the sheet introduction opening towards the discharge opening in the front-lower direction, a sheet feeding tray that extends rearwards from the sheet introduction opening is provided, and the card introduction opening is positioned below the sheet feeding tray. Hence, it is difficult to introduce the card into the card introduction opening.